SWEEP: LOVE IS LIKE OX AGAIN

You get too much, and you get high;  Not enough and you’re gonna die, Love gets you high! 

The Cougars are not happy (Mellen)campers today, after finding out that sometimes, it’s NOT better to have LOVED than to have never Loved at all.  Especially if it’s “Man Love.”

While the #5 UCLA Bruins were dismantling the #4 WSU Cougars behind the Herculean efforts of Center Kevin Love, the TV Announcer said that the Bruin Freshman was playing “like a MAN.”

We understood exactly what he meant, but someone just tuning in could have inferred that Kevin, up until this game, had been playing like a little girl.   Of course that isn’t true, but Kevin did have something of a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday morning, when he “became a man” by putting up his bigggest and best performance of his career (per Ben Howland) during the biggest game of his career, so far.

Kevin scored a career-high 27 Points, pulled down 14 Rebounds, and blocked two shots, to lead the team in all three categories.  Not only that, but he shared the team lead for Assists, with 4.  Russell Westbrook also had 4 Assists, to go along with his dozen points.  Russell continued his streak of good games, but he did turn the ball over 5 times.  But with Love playing the way he did, overpowering the taller Aron Baynes inside all day, the turnovers didn’t matter.

The Bruins led by about 16 for most of the game, after getting out to a blazing 26-8 start that saw WSU miss at least SIX uncontested lay-ups, while most of the Bruins were ON TARGET.  Darren Collison seemed to be healed from his injuries and food poisoning, scoring 18 with 3 Assists and a Steal, but Luc Richard Mbah a Moute may have been still hurting, as he went 2-for-10 from the field for 6 Points.

As it has been in every game this year, the Bruin Defense stymied the opposition for most of the game.  However, in this one, a shocking flurry of 7 made three-pointers in 90 seconds brought the Cougars all the way back in the final minute.  But Collison and the Bruins sank some Free Throws, and WSU missed a final desperation shot to allow the Bruins to get a cheap one at the buzzer, making the final score 81-74 -BARELY covering the 6-point spread – and completing a SWEEP of the Washington schools.

And speaking of point spreads, none of the Jacksonville Jaguars care that they covered the 13 and a half point spread last night, as they got knocked out of the Playoffs by the now 17-0 New England Patriots 31-20.  The Jags put up a good fight, thanks to their BRUINS, but lost, because of their trOJans.  During the game’s opening drive, Tight End Bruin Marcedes Lewis made a couple of drive-sustaining catches, including a HUGE one on a 4th and 1 play.  The ensuing Touchdown was the only opening drive TD against the Pats this year.  In something of a mini-breakout game for him, Marcedes had another good catch later, and it was a one-possession game in the 4th quarter.  But Jax Head Coach – ex-trojan Linebacker Jack Del Rio – just couldn’t get the ball to his best player enough.  Bruin Maurice Jones-Drew got only 6 carries and 6 catches, for a total of 68 yards (plus 61 more in returns).  He had a great 10-yard run, an exciting 18-yard reception, and on one big play, ran through ex-trOJan Junior Seau like a Spirit Squad paper banner.  On top of that, a FAKE to MJ-D was what made the 4th & 1 Marcedes play work, AND he even recovered a Lewis fumble.  But, Mo needed to get his number called more during crunchtime.  Del Rio is a Defensive-minded Coach, so we’re not sure we can blame him for the playcalling.  However, his lack of ability to adjust on Defense, at all, is what cost his team the game. 

Despite all the Patriots’ DIRTY PLAY, including Seau’s 15-yard facemask penalty and several late hits, the game was still up for grabs late.  But too many blown coverages and missed tackles by the Jaguars, especially by ex-trojan Sammy Knight (who got beat for the Jags’ initial Touchdown), allowed the Patriot Punter to almost SIT THIS ONE OUT.  Well, he held for placekicks, but he never had to punt, until the final minute of the already-decided game.  

We understand that the Pats are unstoppable and that Tom Brady had a near-perfect game, but Del Rio was obviously not paying attention as New England was taken to the wire a few times recently — The only way to beat Brady (and Peyton Manning) is to put major pressure on the QB.  They sacked Brady on the first play, but after that, they dropped back and he had all day.  While they took away Randy Moss and the deep pass, they gave up EVERYTHING else, and allowed New England to control the game.

The goat of the other game was the Seattle Defense, led by overhyped ex-trojan Lofa Tatupu.  Green Bay spotted Seattle a 14-point lead, and then a snowstorm hit Lambeau Field.  And then a sh!tstorm hit the Seahawks, named Ryan Grant.  Grant, who had already fumbled twice, came back to gain over 200 yards and score 3 TD’s, as Green Bay outscored Seattle 42-6, to win it 42-20, sending Tatupu home on a platter.

And here now, brought to you on the proverbial silver platter, are a few game and cheer photos from the Washington State Basketball game, including FOOTBALL Coach Neuheisel at halftime.